


Too Much of the Same Stories in Our Lives

by maryling



Category: Last Remnant
Genre: Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-12
Updated: 2010-06-12
Packaged: 2017-10-10 07:12:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/97051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maryling/pseuds/maryling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anna is picky about her bedtime stories, but only one of her daddies knew that before tonight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Too Much of the Same Stories in Our Lives

**Author's Note:**

> For lgbtfest on LJ, prompt 313. Any fandom, any characters, Character X is sick and tired of fairy tales being about princes rescuing princesses. What happens when a boy wants a prince, or when a princess wants to rescue her own damsel?
> 
> Disclaimer: All characters other than Anna are property of Square Enix. No disrespect intended, no profit being made. Title is a line from the Trapt song "Stories."
> 
> Set around 8 or so years post-game; AU with regards to plot, specifically the end of the game. For reference, an [Observer](http://lastremnant.wikia.com/wiki/File:Observer.png).

"But Daddy, Papa _promised_ he'd tell me a bedtime story!" Anna stomped her foot and crossed her arms, well on her way to a temper tantrum. Rush knew he had to act quickly to defuse the situation before it turned into a screaming fit. She was a good kid, really, but sometimes...

"I know, kiddo, but Papa's still stuck talking to the people from Ghor. If he can get them to be nicer to us, Blocter and Aunt Emmy won't have to leave the castle so much to fight. So they'll be here to play with you more often. Sounds good, huh?" He'd bent down in a squat, the better to look her straight in the eye. She hated it when adults loom over her, he'd found.

She seemed to consider his words for a moment. "He still promised," she replied with a pout. "And you hafta keep a promise. You hafta! That's why it's a promise."

Rush mentally grimaced. "How about if I tell you a story?" he offered.

"Noooo! Papa tells the _bestest_ stories. I wanna story from him!" Her face was starting to turn red as her breathing sped up.

No choice then. "Tell you what. How about I tell you a story, and if you don't think it's as good as one of Papa's, we can wait up for him together."

She pondered that, quickly working out that she could probably end up getting two whole stories if she was lucky. "Ok!" she replied brightly and climbed up into the bed. Rush waited while she arranged her stuffed animals and pillows to her five-year-old satisfaction, and then settled herself cross-legged in the middle of it all.

Rush sat down on the edge of the bed, racking his brain for a suitable story. "So, uh, once upon a time there was a princess, right? And her name was - was Lanna! Yeah, Lanna, that's it. Anyway, Lanna loved to go into town and spend time at the different stores." This wasn't so hard, Rush realized.

"Now, there were a lot of stores in town, but her favorite place to go was the workshop. And one day, the yama running the shop said to her," and here he dropped his voice and made it rough, just like a yama. "He said, 'Hey kid, take this dagger. I don't have any use for it, but you can have it an' go kill some monsters and get components. Bring 'em to me and I'll fix that dagger up for you real nice, ok?'" Rush had warmed up to his topic considerably and so he didn't even notice Anna rolling her eyes or that David was standing at the doorway.

"So Lanna went out to the Ivory Peaks, and she hunted Roseflies and Raptors - she knew a little about combat from growing up as a princess but she hadn't ever had her own weapon before. And she killed a bunch of nasty old 'Flies and big scaly Raptors and took their skins and horns and tusks and wings." Anna's eyes widened in dismay as she imagined killing the monsters and collecting their body parts. "She took it all back to the workshop for that nice old yama to make her little dagger better. Then since she had a better dagger, she was able to go kill bigger and scarier monsters and get even better things to upgrade her dagger with, and-"

"Papa!" David hid a smile as he entered the room. He'd heard enough of Rush's story and decided it was time to save Anna by sticking his head in where she could see him. If left on his own, Rush would likely start talking about something traumatizing like Observers and scar the poor child for life. "Papa, you promised to tell me a story!"

"Indeed, I did," he said gravely. "I hope I'm not interrupting one of Daddy's stories, though."

Anna looked down at the bedspread and bit her lip. "Well..." she hedged. She didn't want to hurt Daddy's feelings, but it really wasn't a good story at all. And nowhere near as good as Papa's.

It took a sharp poke to the ribs for Rush to finally notice that his audience wasn't as captivated as he was. "Oh, um, right. Anyway, so one day Lanna realized she had enough components to make a pretty sword with lots of shiny jewels on it that could kill anything she wanted. And the yama made it for her and they were both very happy. The end," he finished up hastily.

"Thank you, Daddy," Anna replied automatically. "I'm glad Lanna had a happy ending," she added, remembering how Pagus was teaching her to be polite. Tilting her head, she looked at David out of the corner of her eye.

He smiled and sat down opposite Rush on the bed. "Would you like to hear another story? I did promise you, after all. And a ruler must always keep his promises if he - or she - is able." He slid his hand across the bed to rest it on Rush's.

Anna nodded solemnly. "All right then. Once upon a time, there was a princess named Anna," David began. "Anna was tall and strong and very smart, and she was quite pretty besides. She had a wonderful family and loyal friends, and everything else she needed - which wasn't much as she was quite sensible and humble and lived very simply.

"But Anna was sad because she felt she was missing something. So one morning, she dressed in her traveling clothes and took her sword, her bow, and some food. She bade farewell to her friends and family and set out to find what she lacked, or at the very least, an adventure." Anna smiled and snuggled in among her pillows.

"Anna traveled for days and days, hunting occasionally to feed herself. She went through fields filled with wildflowers and valleys filled with every sort of tree you can imagine. But while it was all very lovely and relaxing, it wasn't what she was looking for."

Rush was watching him almost as closely as Anna, clearly fascinated. David smiled at them both, then continued on. "One day, as Anna was walking in a forest, she came upon a clearing with a small tower in the center. There were no roads leading to the tower, which was odd, but even stranger was that she could hear someone crying quite near by. 'Hello?' she called out. 'Is someone there?' But before the person could reply, a dragon flew into the clearing and landed in front of Anna."

"What did the dragon look like, Papa?" Anna asked, then flushed as she remembered she wasn't supposed to interrupt a story.

David pretended to think for a moment. "Well, it was about the size of the gazebo in the garden, so it was rather taller than Anna. Along its back and on the tops of its wings, it was the color of copper. But the bottoms of its wings and its stomach were a pale shade of silver. Its eyes were gold and had long pupils, much like a Sovani does, and she could see that it was intelligent.

"'This is my hoard!' the dragon roared at Anna. 'It is mine and if you come any closer, I will fight you to protect it.' Anna knew that she was no match for a dragon so she held her ground. But once the dragon finished speaking, Anna could hear that the crying had become louder. She plucked up her courage and addressed the dragon.

"'Forgive me, my lord dragon. I did not know this tower belonged to you. But there is something I do not understand.'

"Now, much like its brethren, this dragon was very vain. It loved to show off the knowledge it had gained during the course of its long life. 'Speak, child,' it said to her.

"'Well my lord, I thought that dragons' hoards consisted of gold and jewels, or other valuable items. And yet, I believe I hear a living person in your tower. How does this come to pass?'

"The dragon snorted, and smoke billowed from its nostrils. 'Some months ago, while I was searching for treasure I came upon a poor kingdom. Its ruler had no riches to satisfy me, so he gave me his only daughter in return for the safety of the rest of his people. And so she has been living in my tower ever since.'

"Princess Anna was quite appalled by this tale. This poor young lady had been living alone, locked in a tower and subject to the whims of a dangerous beast. Anna knew she must do something to save her.

"'My lord dragon, surely this woman is of no use to you. Unlike your gold and other treasure, she will age and die during a fraction of your lifetime. Let her free and I will give you my sword and my necklace. See, my sword is set with many jewels and is enchanted to never become dull. And my necklace is an opal of uncommon size and proof against poison.'

"The dragon watched Anna for a moment, thinking. He knew she spoke the truth as it is impossible to lie to a dragon. 'Fine, then. Lay your treasures on the rock there and stand back.' Anna did as she was told, stepping well away from her former belongings. 'Girl, come here!' the dragon bellowed."

"Out of the tower stepped the most beautiful young mitra woman Anna had ever seen, and she knew that this was what she had been searching for, a woman to share her life with. 'Well,' the dragon grumbled, 'what are you waiting for? Get out of here!'

"The two princesses left the clearing, talking together and laughing. Anna escorted the lovely young woman to her home, to reassure her father that she was alive and well. And too, for Anna to ask the king's blessing to court his daughter. Then together, they returned to Anna's home where they lived together, happily ever after. The end."

Anna smiled, her eyelids drooping. "Thank you, Papa," she said, drowsily. David leaned over to kiss his daughter goodnight, followed closely by Rush doing the same.

"G'night Anna," Rush whispered, wrapping an arm around David's waist as they left the room. "Sleep well, sweetheart," David echoed as he closed the door behind them.

"So, do I get a bedtime story now?" Rush teased.

"Hmm, I think I do know a good story for you," David replied. "It involves a valiant prince waging a war of words against the evil Ghorians, and then coming home to his handsome consort to claim his reward."

As they entered their chambers, Rush pulled David in close for a kiss. "Sounds like my kind of story," he told David. "But maybe we should act it out, instead."

"Indeed," David said with a smirk. "Why not?"


End file.
